"These two teams are both hiding their trump cards… but the current situation is extremely unfavorable for Shohoku."
"The second reason—fatigue."
Coach Taoka pointed toward the court, where Shohoku's players were visibly gasping for breath.
"Shohoku are the challengers. They've been playing under intense mental pressure the entire time."
"Against a powerhouse like Shoyo, which constantly applies pressure with its height advantage, both physical and mental fatigue multiply."
"Listen carefully, Hikoichi."
Taoka's voice grew serious.
"If the first half ends with the deficit in single digits—within nine points—Shohoku might still have enough left to fight back in the second half."
"But if it reaches double digits…"
"The psychological pressure is on a completely different level."
"Once the gap hits ten or more, that tightly stretched string in Shohoku's mind will snap."
"And in the second half, the difference will only keep widening… until they collapse."
Hikoichi broke out in a cold sweat, scribbling furiously.
"I see… so this final possession decides Shohoku's life or death?!"
Before his words had even settled, the intensity on the court reached its peak.
Shoyo held the ball for the final possession.
Itou Taku calmly controlled the clock, only initiating the play with eight seconds remaining.
Without suspense, the ball went to Hanagata.
"One more! Crush them completely!"
Hanagata backed down Akagi, feeling the immense pressure from behind.
"Akagi, your strength is impressive, but…"
A sharp fake to the left.
A spin to the right—
His body leaned far back.
Another fadeaway jumper!
"Not a chance!!"
Akagi roared, his eyes bloodshot as he unleashed every ounce of strength left in his body.
He lunged forward desperately, his long arm nearly reaching beneath the ball itself.
"What?!"
Hanagata was startled—he hadn't expected Akagi to still jump this high despite his exhaustion.
The shot was slightly disrupted.
Clang!!
The ball smashed against the back rim and bounced high into the air.
"Rebound!!"
In that instant.
Everyone held their breath.
This rebound would decide whether the gap stayed at nine…
Or stretched to eleven.
Heaven—
Or hell.
Hanagata Toru.
Takano Shoichi.
Nagano Mitsuru.
Shoyo's three towering players leapt simultaneously, like three mountains blocking out the sky.
Akagi had lost position after his contest.
"It's over…" Haruko covered her eyes.
And then...
Just as three green hands were about to claim the ball—
A streak of red lightning tore through the forest of giants without warning.
"Give me the ball!!"
With a beast-like roar—
Sakuragi Hanamichi exploded upward through the narrowest of gaps.
His jumping ability reached its absolute limit.
For a moment, it felt as though he had broken free from gravity itself.
His head nearly level with the rim.
Above a crowd of players over 190 centimeters tall—
Those red-and-black sneakers burned like flames.
"BAM!!"
Sakuragi grabbed the ball with both hands midair, gripping it as if he might crush it outright.
"What?!"
Hanagata's pupils shrank violently.
Sakuragi even hung in the air for a split second, absorbing contact—
Forcefully knocking the three Shoyo players aside before crashing back to the floor.
"Beeeep!!"
The halftime buzzer sounded.
Sakuragi stood there, clutching the ball, surrounded by three towering defenders.
His chest heaved violently, breath snorting through his nose.
He lifted his head sharply, his fierce gaze sweeping across the court.
Before locking onto Hanagata.
"Who gave you permission…"
"…to grab rebounds over a genius?"
Dead silence.
Then...
An earth-shaking roar of cheers erupted.
"Nice one, Hanamichi!!" Mito Yohei nearly toppled over the railing in excitement.
Akagi looked at that red-haired back.
The tension in his body finally eased, a faint smile appearing on his face.
"That idiot…"
The halftime score froze at:
Shohoku 22 : 31 Shoyo.
Nine points.
Still within single digits.
Shohoku had preserved their last sliver of hope.
The Shohoku players dragged their heavy bodies back to the bench.
Every face was filled with exhaustion.
Sweat dripped onto the floor like rain.
Even though they had kept the deficit under ten.
Nine points still felt like a mountain pressing down on their chests.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Then..
An untimely voice broke the silence.
"Yo, you're back?"
Makino Juro sat casually on the bench, holding out a freshly opened bottle of water to Sakuragi.
"That rebound just now—not bad."
Sakuragi snatched the bottle and chugged it down in big gulps.
Wiping his mouth, he glared at Makino Juro.
"Of course! I'm the rebounding king, a genius!"
"…But…"
"We're still way behind."
He glanced at the scoreboard, his expression dimming slightly.
Makino Juro smiled but didn't respond.
Instead, he stretched lazily—
His joints cracking in a sharp series of pops.
That idle, relaxed aura vanished in an instant.
What replaced it—
Was a chilling, composed stillness.
He tugged at the collar of his jersey and turned to Coach Anzai.
"Coach, let me play in the second half."
For Makino Juro, sitting on the bench and watching the team fall behind was more torturous than running on the court.
Coach Anzai sat there, holding his teacup.
He didn't look pleased by Makino Juro's request.
Instead, a glint of white flashed across his glasses as he slowly shook his head.
"Ho ho ho… Makino Juro-kun, don't be in such a hurry."
"But—" Makino Juro started to protest.
Anzai raised a hand, cutting him off, his gaze shifting toward Shoyo's bench.
There, Fujima Kenji stood with a tactics board, calmly giving instructions.
"Look—he hasn't stepped onto the court yet."
Anzai's voice was steady, heavy.
"Ace versus ace… the time for that has not yet come."
"And besides…"
The old coach turned his head, looking toward the red-haired boy surrounded by the Sakuragi Army.
"We must trust our teammates. Trust Sakuragi-kun."
Makino Juro followed his gaze.
Sakuragi stood there—
Looking like a wilted vegetable after a frost.
Still muttering under his breath about not getting enough spotlight in the first half.
The Sakuragi Army gathered around him.
"Hanamichi! Cheer up!"
Mito Yohei slapped him hard on the back.
"That last-second rebound was insanely cool!"
Takamiya Nozomu stuffed chips into his mouth as he chimed in:
"Yeah, yeah!"
"That last jump—you looked like a frog!"
"You scared those giraffes on Shoyo half to death!"
"Shut up! Are you idiots making fun of this genius?!"
Sakuragi's face flushed slightly as he raised his fists, ready to beat up his so-called friends.
And then...
A gentle voice, like a spring breeze, swept away the clouds over his head.
"Sakuragi-kun."
Akagi Haruko had run down from the stands.
Hands clasped to her chest, her big eyes sparkled with admiration.
"That rebound just now… was amazing!"
END OF CHAPTER
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